The Latest: UK police say Assange still faces arrest

A photographer stands outside of the Ecuadorian embassy in London, Friday May 19, 2017. Sweden's top prosecutor says she is dropping an investigation into a rape claim against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange after almost seven years. Assange took refuge in Ecuador's embassy in London in 2012 to escape extradition to Sweden to answer questions about sex-crime allegations from two women. (AP Photo/Matt Dunham)

By Associated Press May 19, 2017 2 min read

LONDON (AP) – The Latest on Swedish prosecutor ending investigation of Wikileaks founder Julian Assange (all times local):

10:45 a.m.

Despite Sweden’s decision to drop a rape investigation, British police say that Julian Assange still faces arrest if he leaves Ecuador’s London embassy.

The Metropolitan Police force says that there is a British warrant for Assange’s arrest after he juimped bail in 2012, and it “is obliged to execute that warrant should he leave the embassy.”

But it adds that Assange is now wanted for a “much less serious offense” than the original sex crimes claims, and police “will provide a level of resourcing which is proportionate to that offense.”